Side entry electrical wire connectors utilizing slotted flat plate contact elements for connection to the wires have long been used to connect a tap wire to a continuous run wire as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,388,370; 3,804,971; 3,845,236 and 3,858,157. It has also been found desirable to use side entry wire channels where, as in the connector described herein, the wire ends are extended through the connector and severed within the connector as the connection is made. It has been recognized that in using side entry wire channels when the channels are large enough for the largest size of wire in the wire range chosen the smaller wire sizes may simply fall out of the wire channel before the connection is made. Thus, in the connectors of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,388,370 and 3,845,236 the portion having the side entry channel is hinged to permit it to be spread apart for receipt of the larger wire sizes and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,971 a cover and body are telescoped together to a precrimped position after insertion of the wires to retain the wires in the proper positions.